


young and sweet

by onlytakesataste



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, but then it got funny, but then it got soft again, dude idk it started off as a joke but then it got soft, hahahaha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 21:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21004427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlytakesataste/pseuds/onlytakesataste
Summary: emma and alyssa's graduation surprise





	young and sweet

“Gran… why is there a picture of Florida taped to my door?”

Instead of walking into her room like she planned, Emma grabbed the piece of paper, turned on her heel, and walked back downstairs. As she reached the bottom step, she was greeted with a smiling Betsy, hands intertwined under her chin and eyes so big it looked like she might burst. Emma was used to her grandma’s antics after living with her for two years, but she was struggling to decipher this one. 

“HAPPY GRADUATION!” Betsy exclaimed, practically tackling her granddaughter in a hug. Emma stumbled backwards a few steps before regaining her balance and hesitantly wrapping her arms around the older woman. 

“Thank you? But graduation isn’t until tomorrow? And I’m still confused with this,” Emma responded, a questioning tone in her voice. She looked down at the now crumpled-by-a-hug-attack map of Florida before glancing back up to meet Betsy’s eyes.

“I know, but I needed to give you this today. And it helped that you and Alyssa were in town all afternoon.” Betsy grabbed the paper out of Emma’s hands and smoothed it out the best she could between her hands before walking into the kitchen.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out as she watched her grandma walk away. After a second of allowing her brain to catch up, she shuffled into the kitchen as well, where Betsy was stirring a pot on the stove, a knowing smirk on her lips.

“You can’t just tape this on my door and then knock me over in a hug and _ not _ tell me what this means,” the blonde plopped onto one of the stools at the counter in front of where Betsy was cooking. “Did you buy me the state of Florida?”

“Wh- Emma, no,” Betsy said, failing to hold back the judgmental tone in her voice at her granddaughters far fetched guess. “But we are _ going _ to Florida! Me and you and-”

Emma cut her grandmother off before she could finish her sentence, “_ FLORIDA? _Gran, I love you, but you know I’m not a beach person. I’m practically Casper the Ghost and the sand gets everywhere and-”

“Hey, I never said we were going to the beach,” Betsy interjected. 

“HARRY POTTER WORLD?” Emma exclaimed, suddenly excited at the possibility of walking through Diagon Alley, far from the beach.

“...but you were right, we are going to the beach.”

Emma’s excitement plummeted, but she didn’t want to let her grandma see it. 

“We’re going to New Symrna. Your grandfather and I used to go there all the time. We have some friends with houses on the beach, and one of them is letting us borrow theirs for the week while they’re out of town,” Betsy explained.

“For the week… like… this week?” Emma was growing more and more confused.

“We leave tomorrow!” Betsy responded. “That’s why I had to tell you today, we leave after graduation. It’s kind of a graduation slash birthday present.” 

Emma’s mouth fell open. She may not be the biggest fan of the beach, but someone had truly never done something like this for her. She hadn’t gone on a vacation since elementary school, before things started getting bad with her parents. Emma walked around the counter to envelop her grandmother in the biggest hug she could manage, hoping it translated all of the gratefulness and love she was feeling.

“Thank you, Gran,” Emma spoke into Betsy’s shoulder. She pulled away and used her sleeve to wipe a tear from her cheek that managed to escape. “I guess this means I need to go pack,” Emma laughed as she turned to go up to her room.

“Already done,” Betsy called. “That’s why it was so helpful that you and Alyssa were out today. I was able to pack for you and Veronica packed for her.” Those words stopped Emma dead in her tracks. Her neck whipped around to see that same excited smile on Betsy’s face that she had seen when she first found the picture on her door. 

“What did you just say?” Emma said all too quickly, examining her grandmothers face.

“You started complaining about the beach before I could tell you. Alyssa is coming with us, she’s probably finding out right now,” Betsy mentioned, looking down at her watch.

This time, Emma didn’t try to hold back the tears that were filling her eyes. She couldn’t believe this. Four months ago, none of this seemed possible. Quite frankly, at that time Emma had been trying to convince Betsy to let her drop out of school. After making it known that she would be bringing her girlfriend to senior prom, the PTA had decided to cancel it. This meant school was a free-for-all when it came to bullying her. When the prom was reinstated, everything seemed to be falling back into place, until the night of the dance came and Emma learned that there were _ two _proms, one for her, and one for everyone else, everyone “normal.” Not only did this humiliate her, but it also meant she lost her girlfriend, one of the only people in the world she knew how to trust. Emma’s world was crumbling all around her. Nothing good seemed possible.

But now, here she was; one day before graduating from James Madison High School. No longer living with her homphobic parents, but instead with her incredible grandmother. Alyssa had come out, and they were back together. There had been an inclusive prom where Emma got to twirl the girl she was in love with under twinkle lights without question. And now, _ this _. She couldn’t think of a better way to end what has been a roller coaster of a senior year. It was clear by the look on Betsy’s face that she thought the same thing.

“Gran… I- … I-” Emma struggled to find the words she wanted. 

Betsy pulled Emma into a tight hug, rubbing circles on her back. “Shh, I know sweetie. Veronica and I wanted to do something for you girls after the hell you’ve been through these past few months.”

Despite her best efforts, Emma couldn’t manage to form words, so she just hugged her grandmother tighter. After a few minutes, Betsy pushed her in the direction of her room, telling her to make sure she hadn’t forgotten to pack anything while she finished dinner.

When Emma walked into her room, she disregarded the neatly packed suitcase on her floor and walked straight to her bed. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened the messages app, immediately tapping on Alyssa’s name.

**So… **

**How does Florida sound?**

Only seconds passed before the typing bubble appeared and Alyssa’s response flashed across the screen.

**It’s a date, love <3**

\------------------------------------

She wasn’t sure how it happened, but before she knew it, Alyssa had successfully given her valedictorian speech, gotten on a plane, and was now sitting in the backseat of a rental car as Betsy pulled into the driveway of the house they would be staying at in Florida. It was starting to get dark outside, but even in the low light, Alyssa could see just how beautiful this place was. It was a small one story cottage, but it was painted bright blue and had white accents. There were two rocking chairs to the left of the front door, and a bench swing on the right. 

Betsy parked the car and Emma immediately hopped out of the front seat and ran around the car to open the brunette’s door for her. After almost two years, Emma’s thoughtfulness still brought butterflies to her stomach. She stepped out of the car into the warm Florida air and the humidity hit her like a brick.

“As excited as I am for this trip, my hair is not the biggest fan,” Alyssa groaned as she pulled frizzy curls out of her face and back into a ponytail. 

“It’s a good thing you look cute with your hair up,” Emma responded after placing a gentle kiss on her girlfriend’s nose. A blush rose to Alyssa’s cheeks, but she was able to hide it as she turned to help Betsy pull their luggage out of the trunk. 

As soon as they were in the house, a small “woah” escaped from Emma and Alyssa’s mouths in unison. Like magnets, they were drawn to the giant glass doors that took up the majority of the back wall of the house. They were directly on the beach. Well, not directly. The house had a big wooden patio that was connected to a set of stairs which led down to the beach. Several moments of silence passed before Betsy spoke.

“Why don’t you girls put your bags in your bedroom and then go check out the beach before it gets too dark. I’ll work on pulling something together for dinner.” Before either girl could speak, Betsy added, “And _ yes, _ Alyssa’s mom and I talked, and we agreed you two could share a bedroom. But my room shares a wall so no funny business,” she raised her eyebrows. Both girls’ faces burned hot with embarrassment as Betsy moved to take her things to her own room. The older woman had a smile on her face, like she was proud of the reaction she earned. 

Alyssa had just turned 18, so obviously comments from her girlfriend’s grandma about their sex life were weird, but it also made her annoyingly happy. For the first time, she was being treated like any other teenager in love. For her, it was just another reminder of how far they had come. So, Alyssa brushed off the embarrassment fairly quickly, and laughed she dragged a still shocked Emma to their bags. She pushed the door of their bedroom open and pulled her girlfriend inside. She stood, looking at room in front of them, taking it all in. The room itself wasn’t huge, but the sliding glass door that led to the patio made it feel so much bigger. “We get to fall asleep in each others arms for five whole nights,” Alyssa breathed, squeezing the other girls hands.

“And wake up to _ that _,” Emma spoke, dumbfounded, gesturing towards view of waves crashing against the shore.

Alyssa wanted to look towards the beach, but her eyes were locked on the blonde’s face in the low light. Alyssa never got tired of that face; the hazel eyes that sparkled when she laughed, the pink lips that pursed when she was thinking- all of it. Without a second thought, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Emma’s waist, resting her head on the taller girl’s shoulder. Emma lifted her left arm so she could drape it around her shoulder, squeezing gently before rubbing small circles on her upper arm, pulling her impossibly close.

She shifted her position slightly so she was now standing directly in front of Emma, brown eyes meeting hazel. 

“What?” Emma questioned, a wondering smile playing at pink lips.

“Just thinking. About how we got here, about how crazy this year has been, about how much I love you.” Alyssa blushed at her own words, dropping her head slightly.

She felt a hand under her chin, as Emma gently pulled her gaze back up. The hand that had been under her chin moved up to her right cheek, and she looked lovingly into Emma’s eyes, only briefly, before the taller ducked forward and captured her lips in a kiss. The kiss was gentle and sweet, similar to how their first kiss had been two years prior. Emma pulled away from Alyssa slightly, but still close enough that she could feel the vibration of her breath on her lips. 

“I love you so much, Alyssa Greene,” Emma whispered before angling her head to meet Alyssa’s lips once more. This kiss was deeper than the first, and Alyssa felt like her heart might beat right out of her chest. She didn’t understand it, the way that Emma still had this effect on her. The only explanation was that she was utterly and completely in love. Sure, they might be young, but Alyssa knew she saw her forever in Emma Nolan. After what could have been hours, she wasn’t quite sure, Alyssa pulled her lips away from Emma’s and took a step back. She looked at Emma, whose eyes were still closed and lips were parted slightly, taking in the sight with awe. Her gaze didn’t falter a few seconds later when Emma’s eyes fluttered open to meet her own.

“You’re pretty,” Alyssa said gently. The words slipped out of her mouth so easily, like she wasn’t even completely aware of it happening. But she meant it entirely. And she would say it a million times over to see the bashful smile the rose to Emma’s face upon hearing the words. Alyssa giggled and turned towards the door, “C’mon. Let’s go walk on the beach before dinner’s ready.”

The girls walked out of their room and past the kitchen, where the smell of spaghetti filled the air. Betsy called out to them before they made it to the back door.

“Dinner will be ready in 15 minutes, girls!”

“Okay, Gran! We’re just going to go see the water,” Emma replied, unlocking the door and grabbing Alyssa’s hand. And with that, Alyssa followed her girlfriend down the wooden steps to the beach. She laughed as she watched Emma kick through the sand and make a beeline straight to the water. “_How did I get so damn lucky?” _was the last thought she had before Emma called out to her and she too was skipping through the sand to feel the water between her toes.

\------------------------------------

“Alyssa, _ no. _ I’m staying under the umbrella until the sun moves. _ ” _Emma was loving this trip, and was so incredibly happy her grandma thought to do something so nice for her, and was even more happy that Alyssa was with them, but none of that suddenly make her enjoy the beach. 

The morning after they arrived, Emma was almost convinced she was in heaven. They had fallen asleep with the blinds to the sliding glass door open (Betsy had made them swear themselves to no “funny business” anyways), so the sun rising over the water was what woke them up. It was early in the morning, way earlier than Emma preferred to wake up, but on that day, she didn’t mind. For a few hours, Emma and Alyssa just laid in each other’s presence, enjoying the warmth of each other's' arms. Around 10, Betsy finally convinced the girls out of bed, much to Emma’s dismay. They walked down to the boardwalk for breakfast, and spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon exploring the shops. When they made it back home, it was nearly 2 and Alyssa was practically buzzing with excitement to go down to the beach. Emma wanted to protest but then she thought about Alyssa in a bikini and…… well that’s how she ended up down on the beach, covered in SPF 75, and reading _ Harry Potter _ under the biggest umbrella she could find. 

“Pretty please,” Alyssa pouted, sticking out her bottom lip. “You’ve read _ Prisoner of Azkaban _ a thousand times already. Plus we’re going to Harry Potter World on our last day anyway, so lets-”

“Wait _ WHAT? _” Emma nearly dropped her book in the sand.

Alyssa covered her mouth, “Shoot! Don’t tell Betsy I told you. That was supposed to be a surprise.”

This trip really was the best thing to happen to Emma. Hiding her excitement, she picked up her book once more with a smirk, “All the more reason to refresh my memory of every detail, then.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes and snatched the book out of her girlfriend’s hand, plopping down on her lap. Emma coughed to cover the noise that came out of her throat at the sudden contact with Alyssa’s warm skin, which only caused the brunette to roll her eyes once more.

“Come on, Emma. I want to look for shells,” Alyssa pleaded, shaking the bucket she was holding in front of them.

“I promise as soon as the sun isn’t directly above us and threatening to turn me into a tomato, I’ll help you build a sand castle,” Emma reasoned. “We weren’t all blessed with skin that doesn’t burn, and neither of us wants to spend tonight slathering aloe all over my body.”

“I don’t know, I think I could make that enjoyable for the both of us,” Alyssa winked as she stood up from her girlfriend’s lap. Emma’s mouth fell open but no words followed. Instead, Alyssa continued, “But fine. _ I’m _going to go look for shells. You enjoy your book…. Again…”

Emma’s mouth still hung open as she watched Alyssa make her way down the beach, stopping every now and then to pick up a shell. Alyssa Greene was going to be the death of her, but she didn’t mind one bit. Laughing softly and shaking her head, Emma turned her attention back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. 

Sometime later, Alyssa was back at their spot, standing at Emma’s feet. Emma didn’t notice, however, until Alyssa cleared her throat to get her attention. She was far too invested in the discovery that Sirius was Harry’s godfather, as if she didn’t already know. 

“You’re back!” Emma smiled as she closed her book, saving her place with a bookmark. Alyssa was standing in front of her with a playful smirk on her lips and both hands behind her back. Emma knew that look, and she knew she should be concerned. “Oh god, what?”

“Nothing,” Alyssa responded innocently, her voice an octave higher than usual. 

Emma squinted her eyes to study her girlfriend. “Let me see what you have behind your back,” she tested.

Alyssa moved her right hand from around her back, leaving the left one still there. “His name is Peanut Butter,” Alyssa held out her hand to present Emma with a…. Hermit crab?!

“ALYSSA WHAT THE HELL?” Emma recoiled into her chair and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Oh, come on. He’s cute! Here, look!” Alyssa moved her other arm from around her back to reveal a sand bucket FULL of hermit crabs.

“Dear god, Lys! How many of those things do you have?”

Alyssa looked at the bucket thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. “Seventeen. I counted,” she spoke in a soft yet confident voice, as if it was the most normal response to the most normal situation. As she spoke, one of the crabs in the bucket tried to climb over the edge and Emma slid back further. “That’s Emma Jr! Aw, she loves you!” Alyssa exchanged Peanut Butter for Emma Jr and held the crab out to the frightened blonde. 

“GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!” Emma exclaimed while Alyssa just laughed. “Jesus, did you name them all?”

“Yes. Yes I did,” Alyssa said frankly. “Oooh, this one’s Catherine Parr. Do you have a Sharpie? I want to give her a crown.”

“Alyssa…”

“SHE’S ROYAL, EMMA!”

Now a little less freaked out by the bucket of hermit crabs her girlfriend was holding, Emma laughed, “You’re so weird.”

At this point, Alyssa was sitting criss cross on the ground with the bucket in between her legs. She started pulling out the crabs one by one to show Emma each of her children. Emma wasn’t so scared for the time being, seeing as the hermit crabs were all a little stunned from their journey in the bucket, they didn’t move much.

“These two are twins,” Alyssa explained while picking two out of the bucket. “Their names are Liz and Bean.”

“Liz and Bean?”

“...... Liz Bean…..”

After a few seconds Emma understood the pun Alyssa was (trying?) to make and rolled her eyes while she laughed. While Alyssa worked to take all of her new kids out of the bucket, Emma fished around in the beach bag for her phone. Once she found it, Alyssa gathered all seventeen hermit crabs in her arms and posed. Emma snapped the picture before adding it to her instagram story with the words **i love this dork @alyssagreene** typed across it. 

Looking up at Alyssa after returning her phone to her bag, Emma said, “I love that you’ve made so many new friends but… don’t you think its time they go back into the water? They look like they need it.”

Alyssa glanced down at the slow moving hermit crabs all around her and sighed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” One by one, Alyssa reluctantly placed each hermit crab back into the bucket before standing up and turning towards the water. 

Emma’s position relaxed in her chair as she watched Alyssa trek slowly towards the waves to release the crabs. She loved this, Emma thought, being on vacation with her dorky, beautiful, silly girlfriend who she loved more than anyone in the world. Emma smiled at the sight of Alyssa sitting down in the waves, and gently placing each crab back in the water. 

“Goodbye Breakfast. Goodbye Eden. Goodbye Sebastian. Goodbye Ronaldo. Goodby Whitney Houston.” Emma laughed as she heard her girlfriend bid farewell to each one by name. Alyssa would be the person to find seventeen hermit crabs _ and _ name them individually. But that was just Alyssa. To Emma, she wasn’t just the valedictorian or varsity cheer captain. No. To Emma, Alyssa Greene was the girl with the best personality, the most beautiful laugh, and the biggest heart. She smiled at the thought. It was in that moment that Emma realized it for the first time. She saw her forever in Alyssa Greene.

  


**Author's Note:**

> big shout out to drift for encouraging this and for naming all of the hermit crabs. couldnt have done this without you. heres a full list of all of their names if you were wondering:  
1\. Emma Jr.  
2\. Crusoe  
3\. Peanut Butter  
4\. Doughnuts  
5\. Eden  
6\. Whitney Houston  
7\. Ronaldo  
8\. Brittney  
9\. Santana  
10\. Zelda  
11\. Breakfast  
12\. Hoffman  
13\. Catherine Parr  
14\. Sebastian  
15\. Guido  
16\. Liz  
17\. Bean


End file.
